Road-construction machinery



IIt P. II/IARTIII. ROAD cKoIIsIIIu'cTIoII MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23.`I92II I 193545270 Paemd July WZL,

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

NETE@ PATENT @FFTQ HARRY P. MARTIN, OF CLEARFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA,

Roan-CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY.

ass-inea To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that LHARRY P. MARTiN, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Clearfield, county of Clearfield, and State of Pennsylvaniahave invented an Improve-- ment iii Road-onstruction Machinery, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to road construction machinery and moreparticularly to machinery adapted to the distributing of road-makingmaterial over the roadbed.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide practical and reliablemeans that will operate regardless of the slope or character of theground upon which it is set up.

Another object is to provide a simple and eHective means, readilymovable from place to pla-ce, whereby trucks and the like may be mountedthereon and revolved into any position desirable onl the roadbed beforedumping the material; to also offer an effectivev means of distributingthe contents of the truckor the like, by dumping the same while thetruck is being bodily rotated.

Another obj ect of this invention is to provide a turntable that isrugged in structure, easily manufactured from readily obtainablematerial of a commercial section, and

adaptable in every respect to concrete road construction.

n the construction of pavements, concrete roads, and the like', itis-necessary to set forms for the retaining of concrete and othermaterial. Since standard State highway roads are generally eighteen feetor less in width, it is impossible to turn a truck or the like withoutdamaging the forms set to limit the width of the concrete roadbed.Furthermore, such an attempt to turn or position a truck, which isusually about fourteen feet in length, would result in a blocking of thepassage and of forcing other trucks to lie idle during this period.rIhis of course limits the speed of construction and hinders progress inmany other respects. it is therefore desirable to bodily rotate thetrucks into position for the pouringof concrete and other materials. Theordinary structures obtainable for this work, while they may be able toposition the trucks, are so large that they obstruct permanently thepassageway between the molds and are accordingly detrimental ashereinbefore pointed out.

VThis invention, among other objects, aims Specification of LettersPatent. Pgabgmgd July 12.9 19219 Application filed April 23,

1921i.. Serial No; 463,912.

to' provide a simple, rugged structure that will quickly and effectivelyposition the Atruck as desired and one that will only obstruct 'thepassageway temporarily while the truck is in a position perpendicular tothe` -sides of the road. This, of course, greatly facilitates thehandling and hauling of the material, and as a result a maximum amountof work at a maximum speed is possible.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one embodiment of thisinvention by way of example and in which similar reference charactersrefer to similar parts thereof,

Figure l is a top plan view, the dotted position being that assumed bythe structure when the` truck is to be turned perpendicular to theroadbed'; l

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a detailed drawing of a portion o f Fig. l, showing the methodof construction;

Fig. 4t is a-side elevation of F ig. 3, showing one of the supportingwheels of the structure and also a wheel of a truck mounted thereon; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-section of Fig. 3 on the line 5 5.

Referring to the drawings of the illustrated embodiment and moreparticularly to Fig. l, 'the numeral 10 designates the main body memberswhich are rigidly fixed together by the transverse members l1 to formthe rotatable part of the structure. Upon these main body members, whichare preferably made from ordinary channel beams, the

bearing, which will be more fully described l hereinafter, the wheelsoperating on the track l2 aiding inthe operation when necessary. Thepower for this purpose may be supplied by a few men, or in any otherconvenient manner. t will be seen that the entire structure is readilylaid between the molds 13, which limit the width of the road-y bed, andthat the structure ordinarily occupies but one-half of the road orpassageway. Tt does temporarily occupy the entire passageway when it isdesired to turn the structure perpendicular to v the roadbed, as isshown in the dotted position of Fig. l, but since it remains in thisposition only momentarily, the obstruction is of insufcient duration tobe a. material detriment to the be seen that the ends of the transversememj bers 11 are securely and rigidlyfastened to 'the main body members10 by means of the angle irons 20 and the rivets 21. Mounted upon themain body members 10 are the wheel chairs 15 in which the wheels 16 arefixed in any suitable manner, as by inserting their axles through theapertures 17 provided therefor. These chairs are preferably xed to themain body members by.

means of'the bolts 42 inserted through the apertures 18. The track 12,Iupon which these wheels operate, is preferably made in four 'sections ofany suitable material and is secured by bolts inserted through theapertures 19 to any suitable framework 45. Such a frameworkmay beconstructed by rigidly4 fastening the boards 44 to a pair of skids orrunners 43, adding suitable braces if necessary, without exceeding aheight of 3 inches. 4The main base member 23 is mounted on the framework45 at substantially the center of the track. r1`he skids or runners 43,in addition to providing a rigid framework, facilitate the removal ofthe structure from place to place along the roadbed as the workprogresses.

- .Thetransverse members 14, whose ends are rigidly fastened to the mainbody members by the rivets 22, in addition to bracing the members 11-andmaking a rigidtable out of the main body members, have another functionwhich will now be more fully described. Referring particularly to Fig.5, it will be seen that the members 14 are bent into substantially anarched shape to accommodate the thrust ,bearing 41. This arch is formedin any convenient manner, as

' by vbending the above members at the four points 28, 29, 30 and 31,forming the straight portions 32, 32, 33, 33 and 34. Part 34 is ofsufficient length to accommodate the pivoting part 27 of the main thrustbearing. The beams are bent downward at the points 29 and 30 andupwardat 28 and 31,`

so that the extreme ends are substantially parallel to the member 34,but nearer to the ground. The arch thus formed must not be bent up inexcess of the road clearance of the trucks to'be carried. Themain thrustbearing 41, constructed to have a low center of gravity, consists of themain supporting base member 23 and the pivoting member 27. The basemember 23; has a concave spherical recess in its upper end. rl`he.pivoting member 27, which is rigidly xed'by means of the rivets 25 tothe members 14, has its lower end in a convex spherical form, tocoperate with the concave recess in the upper end of the base member.These two members form a kind of ball and socket essaim? joint whichprimarily centers, but in addition aids in the support of the tableportion and permits the rotation thereof. It also allows slightmovements perpendicular to the plane of rotation without ,causing anystresses in the bearing.- This latter is found very desirable,especially when the load goes on or off the table. An aperture 40 isprovided in the pivoting member for the admis sion of a lubricant, suchas oil, to the surfaces 24 and 26 of the bearing.

It is usually impractical to make the i upon the size of the loads to behandled I and its length will depend upon the length of the channels,which in turn will depend upon the length of the truck, generally about14 feet.

Fig. 4 shows a wheel 37 of a vehicle mounted on one of the main channelmembers 10. It is readily'seen that the flanges 35 and 35 andreinforcing members 36 and 36 prevent the wheels of the truck fromsliding or running off the main channel members when the truckis oncestarted on the table.

It is desirable that the main body members be as near the ground aspossible, so that trucks may be mounted thereon with comparative ease.However,'these members must be sufficiently high to clear the molds 13when the structure 1s revolved in a position perpendicular to theroadbed. This l height, of course, is determined by the height of thewheels 16 and the size of the thrust bearing and arch. It is desirablethat the arch be sufficiently large-to accommodate a comparativelylargethrust bearing without causing the main body members to beunnecessarily. high. A

1t will be seen that this entire structure is easily laid, since it iscomparatively light and consists of a minimum number of parts and islikewise easily removed. No exact centering is required since the trackis sufliciently wide to permit slight errors in the positioning thereof.It also effectively performs its function without obstructing. per.-

manently more than one-,half of the road-` way. It will be further notedthat there is above provided in this invention a structure of simple andinexpensive construction and highly eflicient action.

As various embodiments Vmay be made in the invention above set forth andas many changes .mightbe made in the structure hereinbefore described,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

l claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination a track, Wheelsoperating on said track, a pair of substantially parallel girdersadapted to carry a load, means substantially centrally positioned withrespect to said girders and secured thereto to pivot said girders forrotation and for carrying part of the load on said girders, meanssubstantially co-axial With said pivoting means and providing asupporting surface for said pivoting means and a plurality of archedtransverse members cooperating With said girders and said pivotingmeans.

2. ln a device of the class described, in combination a track, Wheelsoperating on said track, a pair of substantially parallel girdersadapted to carry a load, means substantially centrally positioned withrespect 'to said girders to pivot said grders for rotation and forsupporting part of the load on said girders, means substantiallyco-axial with said pivoting means 'and providing a supporting surface, aplurality of arched transverse members, cooperating with said main bodymembers and said pivoting mea-ns, and a plurality of transverse membersto aid the said arched transverse members in holding' the said girdersin a definite position relative to each other.

3. ln a device of the class described, in combination a track, Wheelsoperating on said track, a pair of substantially parallel girdersadapted to form a run-Way for a truck mounted upon said Wheels and anadditional reinforcing member, coperating ivith and rigidly liXed toeach of said girders, a series of transverse members coperating` Withsaid parallel girders to hold said girders in a fixed position, relativeto each other and a central thrustbearing rigidly fixed to a pluralityof saidtransverse mem* bers.

4. ln a device of 'the class described, in combination, a track, Wheelsoperating on said track, a pair of substantially parallel girdcrsmounted upon said Wheels, a series ci' trans ferse members cooperatingWith said girders to hold said girders in a iixed position relative toeach other. a central 'thrust bearing composed of a main pivoting :MmA

bei` and an additional base member cc ,Y ei

" "hereivw a device of class described,

combination. a 'track 'wheels en sai-,l trai-k, pair of ibstantial dersmounted on said ivheeis e av f verse mei. bers rigidly to each other, asupporting surface and a pivoting member cooperating with saidsupporting surface and rigidly fixed to a plurality of said transversemembers.A

6. 4ln a device of the class described, in combination a track, wheelsoperating on said track, a pair of substantially parallel girdersmounted on said Wheels adapted to form a runway for the Wheels of a.truck, a series of transverse members cooperating -With said girders tofix said girders substantially in a parallel position with respect toeach other, a supporting surface and a pivoting member cooperating `withsaid supporting surface and rigidly fixed to a plurality of saidtransverse members, said plurality of transverse members being arched toreceive said supporting surface and pivotihng member.

1. ln a device of the class described, in combination a track, Wheelsoperating on said track, a supporting surface and a pivoperating withsaid Wheels to facilitate ro' tation, a pair of main body membersadapted to form a runway for a truck, and a reinforcing mcmber rigidlyfixed to each of said main body members for transmitting a part of thcload on said members to the said pivoting load-carrying means.

9. ln a device of the class described, in combination a track, Wheelsoperating on said track, a centrally placed thrust bearing, a pair ofmain body members, and a plu rality of substantially arched transversemembers rigidly fixed thereto, said arched members being rigidly fixedto said thrust bearing and adapted to permit a relatively large thrustbearing Without substantial raising of the tivo main body members.

lO. in a device of the class described, in combination a track, Wheelsoperating on said track, a centrally placed thrust bearing composed of asupporting surface and a ,pivoting member, a pair of cody members ruWa'T a track and ibstantiailv arched ed, i i l adap f n rm a plnrairty omember, said arched mem f Y and ad large lent-iai raising of the tvomain f nation a track,

i4: l 1,384,077 Y said track, a lcentrally placed thrust bearing,`

a pair of main body members adapted to receive a truck and a pair ofsubstantially arched transverse members adapted to be fixed to the saidcentral thrust bearing with-- out substantial raising of the said mainbody members. f

l2. In a device of the class described, in

combination a track, Wheels operating on said track, a centrally placedthrust bearing composed of a main base member and a pivoting member, apair of girders adapted to receive a truck and a pair of archedtransverse members adapted to'be fixed to said centrally placed thrustbearing Without substantial raising of the said girders.

13. In a device of the class described, in combination a track, Wheelsoperating on said track, a Vcentrally placed thrust bearing composed ofa main base member andA a pivoting member,a pair of girders adapted toreceive a truck and a pair of arched transverse members adapted tobefixed to said centrally placed thrust bearing, Without substantialraising of the said girders, an additional pair of transverse members toaid said arched transverse members in fixing said girders substantiallyparallel to each other.

14. In a device of the class described, in combination a track, Wheelsyoperating on said track, a centrally placed thrust bearing, ra pair ofmain body members adapted to form a runway for a truck, a pair'of sub#stantially arched transverse members adapted to be fixed to the saidcentrally placed thrust bearing Without substantial raising of the saidmain body members, and a rein-v forcing member for each of said mainbody members and rigidly fixed thereto for transmitting a part of theload on said members to the said thrust bearing.

15. In a. device of the class describedin combinationI a track, Wheelsoperatingk on ting a portion of the load on said main body members tothe said pivoting members andV a reinforcing member for each of saidmain' body members and rigidly fixed thereto for distributing the loadon said members to the said pivoting means.

16. In a device of the class described, in combination a track, Wheelsoperating on said track, a pair of substantially parallel channelbeams,a runway for a truck formed by the flanges of saidvbeams, a reinforcingmember rigidly fixed to each of said beams and forming an additionalflange on each of said beams, a centrally placed` thrustbearing adaptedto carry part of the load on said channel beams and to facilitaterotation,v a pair of substantially arched transverse members adapted toreceive said centrally placed thrust bearing and to transmit a partofthe load from said beams to said thrust bearing.

said beams, a centrally placed .thrust bear-v ing adapted to carry partof the load on said channel beams and to facilitate rotation, a

lpair Iof substantially arched transverse members adapted to receivesaid centrally placed thrust bearing and to transmit a part ofthe loadfrom said beams to said thrust bearing and an additional pair oftransverse mem- 4 bers to fix said beams in a definite position#relative to each other.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification thisfifth day of March, 1921./

H. P. MARTIN.

